


The Cat Prince

by adjit



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Happy Prince AU, fairy tale AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-09
Updated: 2015-12-09
Packaged: 2018-05-05 19:33:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5387684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adjit/pseuds/adjit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>High above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Cat Prince.<br/>The Ladybug was lost, and lonely, and wanted only someplace to sleep for the night before she began her journey anew.<br/>But she finds more than a place to sleep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Cat Prince

**Author's Note:**

> If you don't know the story of the Happy Prince, you're in for a ride. If you do know the story, well... 
> 
> Written for Day 3 of MLSA. It was supposed to be a drabble and then really wasn't, so have it as its own fic.

High above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Cat Prince. He was gilded all over with beautiful leaves of gold, for eyes he had two bright emeralds, and his cat eared mask glinted a deep, beautiful onyx.

The Cat Prince was well loved throughout the town, and he always tried his best to be the Prince that the city deserved. He carefully positioned himself so the gold would glint just right, and he always, always smiled.

The children would play below him, laughing and crying and enjoying their lives, and he would watch happily until some adult came by, scolding them and telling them that “You should act more like the Cat Prince. He never dreams of crying or running amok.”

One night there flew over the city a small Ladybug. It was fall, and the air was cool and crisp, and the sky sparkled with stars looking over the city with winking, knowing light. The Ladybug was lost, and lonely, and wanted only someplace to sleep for the night before she began her journey anew. She didn’t know where she would fly to, but she did want to fly so far. It was her dearest dream.

She saw the tall statue on the column and thought to herself ‘Ah, I can put up there. I will have a beautiful golden bedroom for the night before I set off on my journey.’ And as she flew closer, she saw that it was indeed more beautiful than she had ever hoped. She landed at the Cat Prince’s feet and looked up at his handsome face, a deep blush coming over her own. She looked away, for she was only a small Ladybug, and snuggled up between the Cat Prince’s feet. But she soon felt a drop of water on her head, and shook herself awake for fear of drowning. She looked into the sky and noted the beautiful stars shining down on the city, not a cloud in sight. ‘How odd that it could be raining on such a beautiful night,’ the Ladybug said to herself, and flew out from beneath the Prince to investigate. But as she flew away, the water stopped, and she realized that it was not rain, but tears, and immediately turned her attention to the Cat Prince. His beautiful face was wet with tear tracks, and the Ladybug’s shyness was dashed by the wet look of his eyes.

“Whatever is the matter, little Cat Prince?” she asked, trying to keep her tone light, but she could feel the concern creeping in nonetheless.

“Huh? I cannot turn my head. Who is there?”

The Ladybug felt her shyness creeping in again, and she could not admit to the tragic, lovely prince that she was only a small bug. She moved herself carefully behind him, assuring that he could not see who she was. “Just a friend. Why do you cry?”

The Cat Prince was silent for a moment, and then quietly breathed out the word ‘friend’ as if it were a prayer. “I lived my days in happiness in the Palace, never knowing the outside world, happily enjoying my balls and my masquerades. The only misfortune I ever knew was loneliness, and that I did not notice amidst the happiness I drowned myself in. I died a happy prince. But now that I am dead I have been placed on this column above the town, I can see only anger and sadness, and my loneliness has returned. My heart is made of lead but I cannot help but feel pain.”

‘Is he not solid gold?’ wondered the little Ladybug, but she was too polite to ask.

“I can see an artist, his clothes ragged and his face haggard, drawing away by candlelight. The candle has been worn down to barely more than a stub, but he does not have the money to replace it, and he cannot draw by day because he must fight through the marketplace in an attempt to sell his paintings. He has been mocked and ridiculed, and he feels angry and sad. But I cannot help him, for I cannot move. Friend, friend, my Lady, will you not take the onyx from my mask to him?”

“I must take a journey, Cat Prince, it is dear to my heart and my only wish in this world. I am not the strongest flier, and if I do not leave soon I will not make it before winter comes and steals my breath.”

“Of course,” acquiesced the Cat Prince, but the sound was so sad that the Ladybug could do nothing but help.

“I will be your messenger for tonight, and leave tomorrow,” the Ladybug said, and she plucked the onyx from his mask (for she was a very strong little Ladybug) and flew across the streets of Paris to the house where the artist sat, feverishly drawing. She left the onyx on the desk, and looked over his canvas to see what he had created.

The painting was a landscape of the city, alight with starlight and streetlamps. The Ladybug smiled, and the artist noticed her sitting by his papers.

“Pretty Ladybug, winter is not the time for you to be around. Why don’t you stay here, and you can be warm and safe?”

The Ladybug was flattered by his offer, but she remembered the lonely Prince and the tears he wept, and she knew she needed to return to him to tell him the deed was done, so she declined the offer and flew away, leaving the precious stone behind.

She returned to the statue, and told him she had succeeded. “You are my hero,” said the Prince, and the Ladybug snuggled close to the base of his statue. Tomorrow she would start her journey, and tonight she would rest, leaving the Cat Prince with the image of a friend and hero without letting him see her true form.

The next day she flew through the air, happily enjoying the sight of the brilliant trees lining the streets. She thought of her journey, and of the wonders of the world, and flew with increased vigor. She wasted the day away dreaming, and as she watched the breathtaking beauty of the sunset behind the skyline of the city, she sighed and thought of the prince. She flew back to his statue and sat beneath him, staring up at his golden face gleaming in the last beams of the day’s light, and said “Goodbye, Cat Prince. I leave for my journey tonight.”

As the last rays of the sun were smothered by the horizon line and night set upon the city, and she readied herself to fly, the voice of the Cat Prince stopped her. “Friend, friend, my Lady, far away across the city I see a man, shivering in a cold alleyway. He gave up everything he owned for the woman he loved, and she has spurned him. Now he is left with nothing.”

“Cat Prince, I must leave for my journey now. If I delay any farther the winter will come upon me and I will lose my chance.”

“Of course, my Lady,” replied the Cat Prince, and his voice was so forgiving and yet so sad that the Ladybug decided to stay for one more night.

“Shall I bring him more onyx?” the Ladybug asked, and the Prince brightened a little.

“I have no more onyx. But I do have emerald. Take my eye and bring it to him, so that he can rebuild his life.”

The Ladybug was hesitant, but she carefully plucked out his eye, keeping herself still hidden, and flew to bring the emerald to the man with the jilted heart.

She returned to the statue, shivering and cold, and tucked herself close to its base, ready to sleep. She dreamt of the journey she would take, and felt the warmth of her dreams carry her through the night.

The next day, the Ladybug sat beneath the statue and looked over the city, sighing sadly. “I must leave you today, Cat Prince,” she declared. “I must start my journey soon.”

“Friend, friend, my Lady, will you not stay with me one night longer?”

And he sounded so sad, and so lonely, and he was so kind and so lovely, that the Ladybug agreed.

“There is a young girl whose most precious possession has just been destroyed. She cannot afford to have it fixed, or she will no longer be able to take care of her family. Take my other eye, and give it to her.”

“I will stay another night, but I will not take your other eye! You’ll be blind, my Prince.”

“My Lady,” he said, and the words were filled with so much emotion and pleading that the Ladybug plucked his eye out before she could think better of it, and carried it down to the girl.

She flew back to the Prince and landed on his shoulder, sadly noting that she did not have to worry about her identity any longer. “You give too much,” she said, and the Cat Prince laughed.

“But now you will come closer to me!” he replied, and the Ladybug was stunned into silence.

She slept in the crook of his neck that night, and she no longer thought of her journey.

The next day, the Prince tried to bid his friend goodbye, but she refused. “You are blind now, so I will be your eyes.”

“But it is winter! If you stay much longer, the cold will steal your breath.”

The Ladybug only repeated, “You are blind now, so I will be your eyes.”

“Then tell me the story of the city, my Lady.”

The cold of winter seeped in, and the frost began crawling along the streets, an invading force that nothing could stop. The Ladybug flew between buildings, around houses, and into homes, looking over the people, and brought a story back every night.

“There is a journalist who writes day and night to meet her deadlines, but her investigation is finding her nothing.

“There is a father who yearns for his daughter’s happiness, but his work has been stolen by a jealous friend.

“A girl whose dream has been crushed.

“A man whose idol ignores him.

“A girl too scared to go on.

“A boy who cries for his friend.

“A man who wants all beings treated equally.

“A boy who thirsts for knowledge.

“A man who yearns for justice.

“People, hurting. Everywhere.”

And every time, the Cat Prince offered more of his adornments, and the Ladybug delivered justice, until the Prince was dull and grey and the Ladybug could no longer fly, wings useless against the cold gales and limbs almost frozen in the icy air. The Ladybug knew she was going to die, but still she did not leave the Prince, for she now loved him too well. She used the last of her strength to crawl up and rest on his breast, above his leaden heart.

“There is still unhappiness in the city, my Cat Prince, but I think we did well. I must now bid you goodbye.”

“I am glad you are finally to go on your journey, my Lady. I am sorry for keeping you for so long. I was lonely, but I love you too dear to keep you now.”

The Ladybug laughed happily at his confession, but the sound was quiet. “You love only a Ladybug, my Cat Prince. I am not your hero.”

“A Ladybug who gave her days and nights to spend them with me, and to help the people of the city. I love you still. Now, go.”

“I am not going anywhere, my love. I think I’ll stay with you forever. Doesn’t that sound nice?” And she huddled against him one last time, and died.

A great crack resounded through the air, coming from directly underneath the Ladybug. The sound of a leaden heart, snapping in two.

The frost had been very hard that year.


End file.
